Advani congratulates Rajnath Singh on his being elected BJP president

New Delhi, Jan 23 (ANI): Congratulating Rajnath Singh on his election as the next BJP president, senior party leader L.K. Advani said the former now held the responsibility of leading the BJP to victory in the 2014 general elections.

"The responsibility of victory in assembly and general elections in the next two years lies on Rajnath Singh. Rajnath Singh has to revive the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, where the party's position is painful," Advani told media here.

"Winning elections needs an ability to bring people together, and this he has in adequate measure," he said.

"Rajnath has focused on agricultural issues and farmers. I'm sure he will take the party forward on these principles. It is his special responsibility that there should be no compromise with anything that's not moral. Then we can live up to being the 'party with a difference," Advani said.

Advani also praised Nitin Gadkari saying that he was an expert in infrastructure, and used to work late into the night for the party.

Rajnath Singh has been formally elected the national president as no other leader from the party had filed nomination papers.

Singh filed his nomination papers for the post of president after incumbent Nitin Gadkari resigned as the head of the organisation. A total 18 sets of nomination papers were filed in favour of Singh.

"Rajnath Singh has not withdrawn his nomination papers. He being the single candidate after end of nominations is being declared elected for post of BJP president," said returning officer of the BJP, Thawar Chand Gehlot.

The BJP parliamentary board, which met this morning, endorsed Singh's election as the new president of the party. The board also appreciated growth of the party under Gadkari's leadership.

In a day of dramatic developments on Tuesday, which were capped by Gadkari's late night announcement, Rajnath Singh emerged as the frontrunner in the BJP presidential poll battle.

Gadkari opted out of the election process on grounds that he had to spend time addressing allegations levelled by the income tax department relating to business deals of the Purti group of companies. (ANI)